[theold]

Most of those pardoned had been convicted of white-collar crimes and minor offenses. It is a tradition for the president to issue mass pardons to mark major holidays in Korea.

The ministry also said many of the beneficiaries suffered from the effects of COVID-19, adding that it sought to give a second chance to those who were convicted as a result.

From left are Kumho Petrochemical former Chairman and CEO Park Chan-koo, Booyoung founder and former Chairman Lee Joong-keun, Chong Kun Dang Chairman Rhee Jang-han, Taekwang Group former Chairman Lee Ho-jin and Kim Tae-woo, former inspector at the presidential office under the previous Moon Jae-in administration. Yonhap

Key figures in the influence-peddling scandal that eventually led to the impeachment of former president Park Geun-hye, such as Choi Gee-sung, a former senior Samsung executive, and An Chong-bum, Park's senior secretary for policy coordination, were excluded from the list.

According to the Ministry of Justice, those who had committed corruption or violent crimes, including murder, robbery and sexual offenses, were not considered.


https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/...57017.html